Comminutor for slaughterhouse waste and similar water suspensions



A- MULLER 3,330,488 COMMINUTOR FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSE WASTE AND SIMILAR July11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet WATER SUSPENSIONS Filed Nov. 30, 1964 INVE/VT'ORA LBRECHT MULLER BYJ ATTORNEYS A. MULLER July 11, 1967 COMMINUTOR FORSLAUGHTERHOUSE WASTE AND SIMILAR WATER SUSPENSIONS Filed Nov. 30, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet S;

INI/ENTOR ALBRECHT MULLER ATTORNE Y5 United States Patent 3,330,488COMMINUTOR FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSE WASTE AND SIMILAR WATER SUSPENSIONSAlbrecht Miiller, Wolfgang, near Hanan, Germany, assignor to Condnx-WerkHerbert A. Merges K.G., Wolfgang, near Hanan, Germany Filed Nov. 30,1964, Ser. No. 414,756 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 7,1963, C 31,621 Claims. (Cl. 241-88) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Acommunitor including a housing having a waste inlet and a waste outlet,with a cage disposed in a passageway between the waste inlet and wasteoutlet, and a rotary knife unit within the cage to cut up waste materialpassing therethrough. The cage and rotary knife unit are mounted on ahinged, tiltable cover plate which can be tilted to expose the interiorof the passageway for removal of material therefrom and also to exposethe cage and knife unit for servicing.

SPECIFICATION This invention relates to a unit for comminuting anddisposing of waste materials, and is particularly concerned with such aunit for use under circumstances wherein the material to be comminutedis diflicult to handle in the usual device of this nature.

comminuting and disposing devices for waste materials are known and arewidely used, but in certain instances, have heretofore had pronounceddefects with -regard to the disposing of certain types of materials. Forexample, in slaughterhouses the disposing of intestines and other wasteproducts with slippery surfaces and having an elongated nature willsometimes wrap around hammers and other parts of conventionalcomminuting units and make the device inoperative and require ashutdown, or will pass through the unit without being comminuted, inwhich case they will tend to form deposits or obstructions in the pipingsystem.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary object of the present invention isthe provision of an improved comminuting device which will handlesubstantially any type of waste product and will successfully comminutethe material so that it can readily pass through a discharge pipingsystem.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of acomminuting and disposing unit in which swinging hammers and the likeare eliminated and wherein the unit will handle substantially any typeof waste material.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a comminutingunit in which a direct cutting action is obtained on the product beingcomminuted and in which means are provided that will tend to preventelongated objects from passing through the comminutor without being cutup into smaller pieces.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will becomemore apparent upon reference to the following specification taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a comminuting unitaccording to the present invention, and

FIGURE 2 is a plan sectional view taken substantially along line IIII ofFIGURE 1.

GENERAL ARRANGEMENT The device of the present invention, in general,comprises a housing having a waste inlet and a waste outlet. A cageconsisting of a plurality of bars is disposed in the passage between theinlet and the outlet so that materials entering the inlet will have topass through the cage to reach the oulet. Inside the cage is a rotaryknife unit that cuts off material along the inside edges of the bars sothat material cannot pass through the unit without being comminuted.Beneath the rotating knife is a catch basin for heavier particles thatmight pass through the cage.

One of the cage bars and the cutting knife are inclined so that ashearing action is had along the edge of each bar which greatlyfacilitates the comminuting operation.

The rotor consisting of the rotating knives and the cage surrounding therotor and the drive motor for the rotor are mounted on a cover platepivoted to the housing, and which cover plate can be tilted upwardly toexpose the interior of the housing for removal of material from thecatch basin and also to expose the cage and knives for servicing. Due tothe tiltable cover, the unit can be permanently fixed in a wastedischarge line and need not be removed therefrom for any servicing.

STRUCTURAL ARRANGEMENT Referring to the drawings somewhat more indetail, the comminuting unit according to the present inventioncomprises a housing 1 formed with :a flow passage 1a therethroughleading from inlet 1b to outlet 10. The passage includes a catch basinportion 2 in which may be disposed a removable basket 3, said catchbasin and basket or container being provided for the purpose of catchingheavy particles that might not pass readily through the waste passage.Catch basin 2 may comprise a drain plug 2a, if necessary, to drain thesystem, and in view of this, basket or container 3 may be formed of ascreen or a perforated material.

As will be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, passage 1a as it leads from inlet 1bincludes a spiral portion 10' that terminates in an axially extendingabutment region 4. This forms a sort of volute arrangement fordistributing material about the comminuting device contained within thecasing.

The housing 1 has an opening 1e in the top wall above the aforementionedvolute portion, and this opening is adapted for being closed by a lid 5pivoted to the housing by pivot means 5a. The lid, when closed, isclamped in position by the clamp means 5b and is .sealed to the housingas by sealing ring 50.

The lid 5 carries a drive motor 6, an electric motor for example, whichhas a shaft extending downwardly through a central opening in the lidand keyed to a rotor member 7. Rotor member 7 has a peripheral portion 8in the form of a cylinder running immediately inside a cylindricalsurface in the lid and formed about the said peripheral portion 8 is athread 9 which feeds downwardly when the rotor rotates so as to inhibitmovement of liquid inwardly along peripheral portion 8.

Rotor 7 carries a pair of wing-like curved projections 10 which at theirleading edges have fixed thereto the cutting knives 11. These wingportions, as will be seen in FIGURE 2, spiral inwardly slightly in adirection away from the knives which are carried at their leading edges.

The knives 11 rotate inside a cylindrical cage or grating or basket 12having a mounting ring 12a at its upper end by means of which it issecured to lid 5 as by cap screws 12b. At the lower end of the gratingis another ring 12c, and extending between the rings are bars 13. Eitherthe bars 13 or the knives 11 or both are inclined so that a shearingaction is had on material passing between the bars and being engaged bythe knives as the rotor rotates. In the drawings, it is the bars 13which are indicated as inclined, but as mentioned, either the bars orthe knives or both thereof could be inclined to obtain the shearingaction.

It will be noted the knives have a clearance angle thereon and that thewings supporting the knives can be so formed so as to form acontinuation of the surface of each knife on which the clearance angleis formed. This provides for good support of the knives so that they canbe made of relatively hard material and will not tend to crack orfracture under impact with relatively hard pieces of waste material,while at the same time, there is ample clearance between the inside ofthe cage and the wings to prmit watse material to pass between the barsof the cage into position to be cut off by the knives.

A device according to the present invention is relatively inexpensive tomake and has the distinct advantage that it will comminute materialsthat hereotfore have been treated only with difficulty in conventionaltype comminuting units, especially those having hammer elements therein.The unit according to the present invention is relatively inexpensive tomanufacture and is easy to maintain.

It will be understood that this invention is suceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; andaccordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for comminuting and disposing of waste products comprising;a housing having a passageway t-herethrough comprising an inlet portionand an outlet portion, an inlet in the housing at the entrance end ofsaid inlet portion and an outlet in the housing at the exit end of saidoutlet portion, comminuting means in the housing disposed in thepassageway between the exit end of said inlet portion and the entranceend of said outlet portion, drive means connected to said comminutingmeans, an aperture in the housing in axial alignment with saidcomminuting means, a cover member pivoted to said housing movable intoposition to close said aperture, and means mounting said comminutingmeans on said lid whereby tilting of the lid on the housing willwithdraw the comminuting means from the housing.

2. A device for comminuting and disposing of waste products comprising;a housing having a passageway therethrough comprising an inlet portionand an outlet portion, an inlet in the housing at the entrance end ofsaid inlet portion and an outlet in the housing at the exit end of saidoutlet portion, comminuting means in the housing disposed in thepassageway between the exit end of said inlet portion and the entranceend of said outlet portion, drive means connected to said comminutingmeans, an aperture in the housing in axial alignment with saidcomminuting means, a cover member pivoted to said housing movable intoposition to close said aperture, means mounting said comminuting meanson said lid whereby tilting of the lid on the housing will withdraw thecomminuting means from the housing, said comminuting means beingcylindrical and having an axis extending at right angles to the lengthof said inlet portion, and said inlet portion in the region of saidcomminuting means being in the form of a volute extending around saidcomminuting means whereby waste products flowing along said inletportion and distributed around the periphery of said comminuting means.

3. A device for comminuting and disposing of waste products comprising;a housing having a passageway therethrough comprising an inlet portionand an outlet portion, an inlet in the housing at the entrance end ofsaid inlet portion and an outlet in the housing at the exit end of saidoutlet portion, comminuting means in the housing disposed in thepassageway between the exit end of said inlet portion and the entranceend of said outlet portion, drive means connected to said comminutingmeans, an aperture in the housing in axial alignment with saidcomminuting means, a cover member pivoted to said housing movable intoposition to close said aperture, means mounting said comminuting meanson said lid whereby ,4 tilting of the lid on the housing will withdrawthe comminuting means from the housing, said comminuting means beingcylindrical and having an axis extending at right angles to the lengthof said inlet portion, and said inlet portion in the region of saidcomminuting means being in the form of a volute extending around saidcomminuting means whereby waste products flowing along said inletportion and distributed around the perpihery of said communting means,said volute portion of said inlet portion including abutment meansextending axially along the periphery of said comminuting means in theterminal region of said volute portion.

4. A device for comminuting and disposing of waste products comprising;a housing having a passageway therethrough comprising an inlet portionand an outlet portion, an inlet in the housing at the entrance end ofsaid inlet portion and an outlet in the housing at the exit end of saidoutlet portion, comminuting means in the housing disposed in thepassageway between the exit end of said inlet portion and the entranceend of said outlet portion, drive means connected to said comminutingmeans, an aperture in the housing in axial alignment with saidcomminuting means, a cover member pivoted to said housing movable intoposition to close said aperture, means mounting said comminuting meanson said lid whereby tilting of the lid on the housing will withdraw thecomminuting means from the housing, said comminuting means beingcylindrical and having its axis extending at right angles to the lengthof said passageway, the said entrance end of said inlet portion beingdisposed beneath said comminnuting means, and a recess formed in saidhousing directly beneath said comminuting means for receiving heavyparticles in the waste material.

5. A device for comminuting and disposing of waste products comprising;a housing having a passageway therethrough comprising an inlet portionand an outlet portion, an inlet in the housing at the entrance end ofsaid inlet portion and an outlet in the housing at the exit end of saidoutlet portion, comminuting means in the housing disposed in thepassageway between the exit end of said inlet portion and the entranceend of said outlet portion, drive means connected to said comminutingmeans, an aperture in the housing in axial alignment with saidcomminuting means, a cover member pivoted to said housing movable intoposition to close said aperture, means mounting said comminuting meanson said lid whereby tilting of the lid on the housing will withdraw thecomminuting means from the housing, said comminuting means beingcylindrical and having its axis extending at right angles to the lengthof said passageway, the said entrance end of said inlet portion beingdisposed beneath said comminuting means, and a recess formed in saidhousing directly beneath said comminuting means for receiving heavyparticles in the waste material, an upwardly opening receptacle beingdisposed within said recess and being removable from said housing upontilting said cover member upwardly.

6. A device according to claim 1 in which said com minuting meanscomprises a stationarily mounted cylindrical outer cage having generallyaxially. extending circumferentially spaced bars, staid cage being openat the bottom, and a rotor disposed inside said cage and havinggenerally axially extending knives movable closely inside said bars soas to comminute waste material entering the cage between said bars.

7. A device according to claim 1 in which said comminuting meanscomprises a stationarily mounted cylindrical outer cage having generallyaxially exuending circumferentially spaced bars, said cage being open atthe bottom, and a rotor disposed inside said cage and having generallyaxially extending knives movable closely inside said bars so as tocomminute waste material entering the cage between said bars, said rotorincluding a cylindrical top member, a cylindrical aperture in said covermember in which said cylindrical top member is mounted,

and a thread on the periphery of said top member operable to feed fluidsdownwardly during rotation of the rotor thereby to inhibit leakageupwardly between said top memberand said cover member.

8. A device according to claim 1 in which said comminuting meanscomprises a stationarily mounted cylindrical outer cage having generalyaxially extending circumferentially spaced bars, said cage being open atthe bottom, and a rotor disposed inside said cage and having generallyaxially extending knives movable closely inside said bars so as tocomminute waste material entering the cage between said bars, said rotorcomprising a top member and arcuzate wings dependent therefrom andhaving said knives mounted on the leading edges thereof.

9. A device according to claim 1 in which said comminuting meanscomprises a stationarily mounted cylindrical outer cage having generallyaxially extending circumferen-tially spaced bars, said cage being openat the bottom, and a rotor disposed inside said cage and havinggenerally axially extending knives movable closely inside said bars soas to comminute waste material entering the cage between said bars, saidrotor comprising a top member and arcuate wings dependent therefrom andhaving said knives mounted on the leading edges thereof, said wingsbeing so formed as to form continuations of the clearance angles of saidknives.

10. A device according to claim 1 in which said comminuting meanscomprises a st-ationarily mounted cylindrical outer cage havinggenerally axially extending circumferentially spaced bars, said cagebeing open at the bottom, and .a rotor disposed inside said cage andhaving generally axially extending knives movable closely inside saidbars so as to comminute waste material entering the cage between saidbars, said rotor comprising a top member and arcuate wings dependenttherefrom and having said knives mounted on the leading edges thereof,said wings being so formed as to form continuations of the clearanceangles of said knives, at least one of said knives and bars beinginclined at an angle to the axis of said comminuting means whereby ashearing action takes place between the knives and the bars duringrotation of said rotor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,369,312 2/1945 Porteous 24l-902,573,048 10/1951 Newkirk et a1 24l86 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,137,929 10/1962 Germany.

1,150,101 7/1957 France.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR COMMINUTING AND DISPOSING OF WASTE PRODUCTS COMPRISING;A HOUSING HAVING A PASSAGEWAY THERETHROUGH COMPRISING AN INLET PORTIONAND AN OUTLET PORTION, AN INLET IN THE HOUSING AT THE ENTRANCE END OFSAID INLET PORTION AND AN OUTLET IN THE HOUSING AT THE EXIT END OF SAIDOUTLET PORTION, COMMINUTING MEANS IN THE HOUSING DISPOSED IN THEPASSAGEWAY BETWEEN THE EXIT END OF SAID INLET PORTION AND THE ENTRANCEEND OF SAID OUTLET PORTION, DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID COMMINUTINGMEANS, AN APERTURE IN THE HOUSING IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAIDCOMMINUTING MEANS, A COVER MEMBER PIVOTED TO SAID HOUSING MOVABLE INTOPOSITION TO CLOSE SAID APERTURE, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID COMMINUTINGMEANS ON SAID LID WHEREBY TILTING OF THE LID ON THE HOUSING WILLWITHDRAW THE COMMINUTING MEANS FROM THE HOUSING.